One of the most famous Blues songs of all time is Elmore James’ “Dust My Broom” in which he says “I’m gonna get up in the morning, I believe I’ll dust my broom. Quit the best gal I been loving. Now my friends can have my room”. Now, of course I know that he means to give her up, leave town, whatever. But why “dust my broom”? Most Blues metaphors are quite obvious. (eg: Another mule is kickin’ in your stall. Somebody’s fishing in my pond, etc.) But this one’s got me stumped. I just can’t make the connection between “dusting his broom” and quitting her. Sounds more like he’s gonna get up in the morning and “choke his chicken”
I was sure we’d had a thread about this a while ago, and I was just about to give up when I found it. So here are some ideas about what the title means.
Don’t we have a Doper that’s a pretty well known blues historian/writer? I want to say it was a woman from Alaska, but can’t remember her username…think she was even giving a presentation at a museum opening or something…
And after reading Marley’s link, that may have been who I was thinking of…
Thanks for the link Marley.
Yes, thanks!
Nothing to do with this thread, but I heard a blues song by Curtis Salgado the other day called “I’ve Learned More About The Blues In Two Weeks Of You, Than In 20 Years Of B.B. King”.
Another hijack:
What is the title of this song?
“I’ve got some real bad habits Baby, but the one I’m going to lose is you”?
Great song!
Not bad for an old white guy who’s had a liver transplant.
Make a “clean sweep”?
The thread from before you got here (see post #2) says that the author agrees with you.
oh, yeah. Sorry!
It means “Get some new Pussy”.
People in the rural south sometimes use the phrase to mean “to be done with” something. I’ve heard it all my life and in polite company as well so, while it may have more prurient meanings, there is this innocuous connotation.